Single strand DNA breaks in rat brain cells exposed to microwave radiation.
Paulraj R, Behari J · 2006
View Original AbstractChronic microwave exposure at cell phone-level intensities caused significant DNA damage in developing rat brains after 35 days.
Plain English Summary
Researchers exposed developing rat brains to microwave radiation at frequencies commonly used in WiFi and radar systems (2.45 and 16.5 GHz) for 35 days. They found statistically significant DNA damage in brain cells, specifically single-strand breaks that can interfere with normal cellular function. This suggests that chronic exposure to low-level microwave radiation during brain development may cause genetic damage.
Why This Matters
This study adds to growing evidence that microwave radiation can damage DNA in brain tissue, even at relatively low exposure levels. The SAR values used (1.0 and 2.01 W/kg) are comparable to what you might experience from prolonged cell phone use or close proximity to WiFi routers. What makes this research particularly concerning is the focus on developing brains, which are more vulnerable to radiation effects than adult tissue. The comet assay used here is a well-established method for detecting DNA damage, and the statistical significance (p<0.001) indicates a very strong correlation between exposure and genetic damage. While this was an animal study, the biological mechanisms for DNA damage are similar across mammals, making these findings relevant for understanding potential human health risks from our increasingly wireless world.
Exposure Details
- SAR
- 1.0 and 2.01 W/kg
- Source/Device
- 2.45 and 16.5 GHz
- Exposure Duration
- 35 days
Exposure Context
This study used 1.0 and 2.01 W/kg for SAR (device absorption):
- 2.5x above the Building Biology guideline of 0.4 W/kg
Building Biology guidelines are practitioner-based limits from real-world assessments. BioInitiative Report recommendations are based on peer-reviewed science. Check Your Exposure to compare your own measurements.
Where This Falls on the Concern Scale
Study Details
This investigation concerns with the effect of low intensity microwave (2.45 and 16.5 GHz, SAR 1.0 and 2.01 W/kg, respectively) radiation on developing rat brain.
Wistar rats (35 days old, male, six rats in each group) were selected for this study. These animals ...
This study shows that the chronic exposure to these radiations cause statistically significant (p<0....
Show BibTeX
@article{r_2006_single_strand_dna_breaks_1259,
author = {Paulraj R and Behari J},
title = {Single strand DNA breaks in rat brain cells exposed to microwave radiation.},
year = {2006},
url = {https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16458332/},
}